Fitial vows: We’ll clean up Garapan
Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said he is committed to making the Garapan commercial district “clean” and free from activities associated with prostitution.
“We are cleaning up western Garapan, making it more friendly to families and tourists,” said Fitial in his first annual State of the Commonwealth Address Friday.
A few weeks back, the governor issued an order against customer solicitation—a common practice of many business establishments in the district.
In a March 13, 2006 letter, Fitial asked Garapan business owners to stop their practice of placing numerous young women in skimpy dresses outside of nightclubs, strip-tease bars and massage parlors to solicit male customers.
Fitial said Friday that his administration is working to fully implement zoning in Garapan and throughout the island.
He said he meets regularly with the zoning board, “and they understand that we are committed to making Saipan a more attractive place for tourists and residents alike.”
The previous administration revived the zoning board, bringing back to life a system that was suspended over 10 years ago. Then Gov. Juan N. Babauta called on the board to focus its initial activities on the Garapan tourist district and poker machines in the villages.
The Commonwealth enacted enabling legislation for Saipan zoning in 1989 and a zoning law in 1993. It was suspended by the Saipan local delegation in 1994.
